ABOUT DRC SERBIA

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a humanitarian, non-governmental, non-profit organisation founded in 1956 that works in more than 30 countries in the world.

DRC mission in Serbia has been active since 1993, running numerous activities related to integration and improvement of living condition for refugees, internally displaced persons and socially vulnerable domiciles.

Trusted by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia, the UNHCR and other donors, DRC Serbia is currently implementing projects related to supporting refugees/migrants and asylum seekers on the territory of Serbia, enhancing IDPs' return and reintegration in Kosovo, housing projects to support refugees, internally displaced persons and returnees in livelihood enhancement and closure of collective centers. DRC supports the Government of Serbia in the recovery of floods affected households and local economies, provides technical assistance for the Regional Housing Programme in the Western Balkans and contributes to the implementation of anti-discrimination policy.

The expertise sharpened for more than two decades of work in the Western Balkans has provided DRC Serbia with skills to deliver suited solutions for beneficiaries, local authorities and other stakeholders, recognise current and future social and economic needs and changes in the region, and deliver a full circle of services in the time of needs. Today, DRC is present through its main and field offices in Serbia (Belgrade, Kragujevac and Kraljevo), as well as on several settings close to Refugee Aid Points across Serbia, as in Presevo, Dimitrovgrad, Sid and Subotica.

DRC supports the whole spectrum of durable solutions - local integration and return/reintegration through the following sectors of intervention:

• Housing solutions and small scale infrastructure• Social & economic re/integration (IGA, return packages, social and medical support)• Technical assistance to central and local institutions/NGO capacity building and socialmobilisation• Legal expertise - access to rights, personal documents, property law, antidiscrimination• Protection and advocacy on behalf of persons of concern, shelter and distribution of NFIs

VISION AND VALUES

No refugee must be in want of help to find protection and durable solutions. And nobody who wishes to be integrated into Danish society must be in want of help to do so. We want to be the best problem-solver with regards to displacement and integration.

The Value Compass

Our set of values is the ethical stance of our organisation put into words. In other words, the 'value compass' is DRC's creed.

1. Humanitarian approach – people's right to a life with dignity takes precedence over politics and principles.DRC insists on the right of the individual to receive humanitarian aid and on our right and duty to provide such aid, whenever we can. This means that advocacy, in some cases, must give way to our duty to help people where lives are at stake, but also that we will provide assistance, regardless of whether such an effort could be interpreted politically. Moreover, we insist on the right of the individual to use his or her own abilities to shape his or her own life with dignity, in interaction with others.

2. Respect – for the equal rights of human beingsDRC takes a rights-based approach to its work, nationally as well as internationally. Thus we work to ensure that displaced persons can enjoy the rights of protection and life opportunities offered to them in applicable conventions and laws – without any kind of discrimination. In Denmark and elsewhere we are working to ensure that authorities and the international community assume their responsibilities in interaction with people in distress, and we will assist them until they are able to manage these responsibilities themselves.

3. Independence and neutrality – in regard to our surroundingsDRC works entirely on the basis of its mandate. Thus, we focus on issues concerning refugees and displaced persons, remaining neutral when it comes to party politics. Furthermore, this means that in international conflict areas our humanitarian work is based on independence and neutrality in regard to the conflicting parties.

4. Inclusion – of the people we work to helpDRC wishes to carry out its initiatives while respecting and collaborating with the people we are trying to help, thereby ensuring that they are empowered by the collaboration. This means that we ask them to consent to our assistance and to participate in planning and implementation, as well as assessing outcomes. Moreover, it is characteristic of our collaboration with people in distress that we try to use and strengthen their abilities to cope without assistance in the future.

5. Honesty and transparency – for all beneficiaries, donors, partners and othersDRC is accountable to the people we help, those that support us and those with whom we collaborate. This means that we are honest and open about what we do and about the choices we make, when needs exceed our ability to provide help. Moreover, we strive for successful and responsible joint efforts with others.

About Danish Refugee Council INTERNATIONAL

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a private, humanitarian organisation founded in 1956, which unifies efforts of 30 member organisations and voluntary groups. With the aim of helping and promoting durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced people, DRC has been providing assistance in conflict-affected countries around the world such as the Western Balkans, the Caucasus region, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, the Horn of Africa, Uganda, Sudan, Liberia and Angola. While displacement of people is the principal reason for DRC to initiate assistance activities, the target group typically covers not only refugees and internally displaced people, but also individuals, groups, organisations and governmental institutions that have or shall have an active role in the provision of services to the displaced population.

The rights-based approach is at the core of the DRC programming and operational principles. Its application throughout the DRC projects is further strengthened by the DRC dedication towards the accountability, which is among the key values that its work is based on. DRC is one of the founding members of Human Accountability Partnership International (HAP-I). In 2010, DRC has been recertified with a HAP 2010 Standard in Humanitarian Accountability and Quality, which testifies its commitment to meeting the highest standards of accountability and quality management.Read more at https://drc.dk/

DONORS

• Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia• UNHCR Serbia• ECHO• UNICEF• UNFPA• The US State Department, Bureau of Populations, Refugees and Migration• Danish Embassy• The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs• UNHCR Kosovo• DFID/Start Network